Happy Halloween to all my Ghosts and Goblins...

Wow--can you believe it is October 31?! Paul's last day at St. Mark Pre School was yesterday. I will write more about the BIG meeting yesterday, but suffice to say--we are deeply disheartened and sad about the outcome. Especially since we are of the same faith!

Anywho, Paul and I are leaving shortly to meet my friend Donna for lunch. We worked together 7 years ago at Frost Insurance. She now works at Wells Fargo and loves it. I have not seen here in many months. We had to reschedule this lunch date numerous times...and mostly b/c St. Mark's doesn't know how to teach ALL kids!

Tonight we are going to some friends--Jena and Philip--for some neighborhood games and a parade of all the little ones. We went last year and had a grand time. Paul is an eccentric elephant..look for pics tomorrow!

It is a beautiful day here in San Antonio. Blue sky, sun, light breeze and somewhere in the 60's or low 70's. Love it, love it, love it!!!!

Peace be with you friends....

Weekend Adventures

Saturday and Sunday took Danny and I up to Comfort, TX - in the Texas Hill Country. We met up with our team for our annual retreat. We have been a member of an awesome couples ministry called Teams of Our Lady. There are six Catholic couples and we stayed at a lovely B&B called The Meyer Bed and Breakfast. We are very fortunate to have many friends in San Antonio who can and are willing to watch Paul...since we have no family in town to assist with that task. Meliza Wise, who is also our 9:30Am Mass cantor, came early Sat morning to be here with Paul for the rest of the weekend. She is married with 2 wonderful children who I stay with from time to time. You see--it's a swap thing! They don't have family in town either. So it works well for all of us.

The morning session of our retreat was about listening, communication and developing a family mission statement. We started working on our family mission statement and plan to refine it during the week and have one completed by next Sunday. Here we go... "As a family, we will serve the Lord by living a grace and joy filled life. We will strengthen our relationship through family prayer and by bringing our family and others closer to God." We also want to include something about being committed to continual spiritual and intellectual growth - as a family. The idea is to create one, post it somewhere in your home and revisit it every year. It will probably change over time. And as Paul gets older--he can be included in helping to create it. A nice scripture for this is Ephesians 5:21, 25-33.

Also, we talked about communicating pitfalls to avoid with your spouse: garbage dumping (bringing up old hurts), Giving YOU messages, Blaming, using critical judgement, interrupting while your spouse is sharing/communicating, expecting your spouse to change because you shared your feelings, short changing the time together by not spending the full time talking about and continuing to draw out/explore the feeling.And we talked about guidelines for fighting fair for our relationship...b/c that is what we are all doing in our married lives....everything should be FOR OUR relationship...not against it. :-) One point we discussed...."fight for clarification, not to win. If I win a fight then I am sleeping with a loser."
And naturally, we talked about forgiveness in a marriage. This one item will give you the freedom from the bitterness which pollutes lives and marriages.

Then we had 2 1/2 hours for a lunch "date" with our spouse. Of course also included 30 min of shopping in the cute town of Comfort! We went to a nice little restaurant called The Hen House Cafe. I had a yummy Reuben sandwich and Danny had a juicy hamburger. Very delicious!

Back to the B&B for our afternoon session with our couple friends - the topic-- MONEY. And not about how to budget and save..but attitudes towards money. I will write about this while Paul is napping--right now I have to get back to the little dude..I think he is tearing up the family room. :-)

Getting back to our retreat--we talked about how to be a faithful steward. Vicki and George had this awesome book they used for our afternoon session. Danny and I are going to purchase it....around $13. I recommend it for all married couples...and even singles! Putting Money in its Place by Doug Britton. It's part of series on books/bible studies for couples. Good stuff!
From Psalm 24:1, "The earth is the Lord's and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it."
Some basic principles from the book which we discussed at our retreat:
*Acknowledge God's Ownership - God owns everything--your house, cars, clothes, toys, books, etc.
*Work diligently - with a positive attitude; avoid get rich schemes; balance work and rest
*Be trustworthy - be honest on the job; be honest as a couple
*Take care of your possessions - they belong to God
**Remember that God gave you the strength and talent to make money!!!!

And more goodies from the afternoon....

Love God, Not Money - recognize you are citizens of heaven, be aware of the dangers of wealth, realize it is possible to be Godly and wealthy

Be content - get your contentment from God, not circumstances, resist envy and greed, do not give up if you suffer a financial setback

From Matthew 6:33, "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."

Oh and if you do read my ramblings from time to time--please leave a comment now and then--even if you simply say hi! Thank you!!

Paul is busy with all kinds of new women in his life....

If you are an adult male---don't you wish you could say that?! Ha

Seriously though, many of you know that our little boy has had some challenges. And while a little bit might be 2 year old things, the majority of his issues is due to a disorder: Sensory Integration. While he doesn't have ALL the symptoms, he does exhibit many and as a result, a local nonprofit in SA is helping him and us--and his teachers. Thank God for people and places like Brighton. Paul has 2 occupational therapists, one speech therapist, a social worker (helping us with his pre school) and a nutritionist. Whew---all lovely, caring, talented and supportive women! DeeDee (an occup therapist) visited us at home recently and gave me what is called a Therapressure Brush--see above. You rub it on Paul's arms, legs and back only and as you "brush" him - put some pressure/muscle into it. Dang--it works like a charm to calm him down. If you have ever had a massage---you know how it calms you and puts you in a trance -- does the same for my little boy.

The first step of the involves providing deep pressure to the skin on the arms, back, and legs through the use of a special surgical brush. An appropriate analogy would be that it is like giving someone a deep massage using a surgical brush. The use of the brush in a slow and methodical manner provides consistent deep-pressure input to a wide area of the skin surface on the body. The face and stomach are never brushed.
Following the "massage" stage, the child receives gentle compressions to the shoulders, elbows, wrists/fingers, hips, knees/ankles, and sternum. These compressions provide substantial proprioceptive input. our goal is for children to no longer illustrate sensory defensiveness which interferes with normal development.

For Paul---should help him deal with other children encroaching in his space.....dealing better with large groups of people and sudden, loud noises. Possibly help him to be less of a picky eater...the need to put everything in his mouth...I could go on and on! Another item we need to try and use at home and in school - Bendeez. Paul can fidget with them and chew on them and therefore might not distract teachers or peers in classroom. And another tool is called the DRIVE THRU MENU cards. It is truly amazing how much is out there to help us parents who are dealing with this issue. Thank goodness I am not working outside the home, or I would not have the time to do all this therapy for Paul and researching and reading and learning in order to help my son. One thing is for certain-- the teachers and staff at St. Mark's need to redirect ANY negative vibes/feelings/thoughts or frustrations...because my little boy senses it and reacts to it. And I might add--reacts in a not so nice manner. Which then only gets the teachers more anxious and all that comes with those feelings. Paul needs calm people around him. And yes, I can be calm those of you who are wondering.... I have seen dramatic changes in Paul over the last 2 months with Mommy remaining more calm and collected.

I need to do some chores around here while Paul is napping. Thanks for reading and I ask for your support and prayers as we continue to move forward with all this and hope it will help Paul and he can develop/grow and attend a Catholic University...oh is that too much pressure for a 2 year old?! :-)

Blessings and joy to all of you!

Even More on Class Reunion..keep reading...

So tonight was GNO. For the new readers of my blog--GNO=Girls Night Out. Every Wed night at 7pm. It was an early evening though as us Mommies were tired. My usual 2 beers went down easy though....and the third was lurking nearby, but I did have to drive home don't you know!

Above are some pictures taken Sat night at my class reunion. Brian Belgeri and his lovely, and very sweet wife, Myra. Don't they make a nice couple?! He got lucky! The other picture is of Elaine, Suzy and Colleen. Elaine was my maid of honor in my first wedding--back in 1992. For those who don't know (which prob isn't many)--John was abusive, we divorced and he was murdered in 1996-and no, I did not do it. Suzy and I were joined at the hip a lot in high school. I picked her and Robbie up everyday for school during our junior year. Suzy was a dancing fool--like me and we also both loved Magic 108 and groups like Shalamar, Midnight Star, Klymaxx, etc. The third lovely gal is Colleen. She was so cute and fun to be around in high school and she is still the same! She lives in WI, while the other 2 gals live in the STL area. Danny heard some interesting stories about high school days and Susan's mustangs...... Not to be repeated here of course...!!!!

The talk among the ladies at the reunion--Tom Fischer! Ladies--you know what I'm talkin about! And nice to see that some things don't change..one gentleman..who will remain nameless for now---was pretty drunk and at the end of the night, when all the lights came on the ballroom, he was stooped over in a chair looking pretty green. I later heard he did puke--but in a respectable place -- thank goodness! So much more to mention -- but I will close tonight with the AFTER PARTY at Helen Fitzgerald's-- is that right?! I think so.....but I am not familiar with the part of town we were in---so off a group of us went. Get this -- the big doorman, yeah, you're right--he did not wish to see any of our ID's---hello?! We are all hot and good looking people here...but I guess he knew....UGH! When we walked in---you guessed it--I think I could have been the Mom to many of the patrons. This is the really crazy thing--it was 12:30 or so and the bar closed at 1am--WHAT? Never heard of such a thing. Myra said the bars in the CITY of St Louis close at 3--so what we were doing there?! More fun conversation and silliness.......I don't know who was being silly -- ok, me. Ask Myra what Susan was doing as the young men walked past her on their way out...?! Thankfully, Danny is cool and doesn't mind (too much) me being silly. I did not want the night to end........it was kind of a weird feeling. I don't want to wait 5 years to see all of these people again.

As usual--I will sign off with a little inspiration/motivation:

"This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it." Psalm 118:24

God created this day, and it is up to each one of us to rejoice and be grateful. We give thanks to Him when we treasure each day and use it to the fullest. Whatever the rest of this day holds for you.....always keep God as your partner and Jesus Christ as your Savior. Continue to count your blessings. Each one of you is special and a blessing to me. AMEN

More on Reunion Weekend in STL

So, here we go---Friday night was a Happy Hour planned by Dean Gallagher. He wasn't going to make it Sat night--his sister was getting married--so he wanted to organize something. Thankfully, he kept his word and planned a fun night. The event was held at Lucas School House in the Soulard area in St. Louis. http://www.lucasschoolhouse.com/ I had not been to that part of the city in probably over 10 years. Way cool indeed! Above are 2 of my favorite pics from that night -- everyone looked so good and they were so fun! I wore my new jeans, my silver 4 inch sexy heels and a new shirt from The Gap. Minus the 25 extra pounds and triple chins--I looked pretty decent! :-)

I started off with a Michelob Ultra--but the dang beer was lukewarm and I only had about half. Then I moved on to Crown and Coke--oh yeah, they were out of Crown. Eeee ho le! So I think the drink was Jack and Diet Coke. Lots of alcohol for sure! But with all the talking and laughing, most of the drink got watered down and I was on to the next one -- but same thing. Too busy to drink really. In between I had water and some of Danny's pop. I learned so many things that night about events in high shcool that I either didn't recall, or simply never heard about back then. And news on what lots of people (who weren't there that night) were doing and who they were doing...oh yeah..interesting stuff mainard! I got to meet some husbands and wives--all very nice and out going and lovely to attend this incredible weekend with the wild class from John F. Kennedy Catholic High School - Class of 1987!

We headed back to Dad and Jean's around 11pm. Danny was pretty sick with a bad head cold and I wanted to get him into bed....wink wink! He enjoyed meeting my classmates and he especially enjoyed his visit with Ed Morganthaler. He lives in the Dallas area and works for Union Pacific-I think. My radio DJ classmate, Rich Berra, was present along with his lovely and fun wife Kristy. He has a successful morning show in Phoenix/Tuscon. He rocks dudes! We talked about who we had crushes on and all that good stuff. I really had a crush on one guy in our class, but after sophomore year, he left and went to a public school. I don't ever recall ever kissing a guy from my class either--at least not during high school. A certain classmate had my lips for a few months in 1989 or 1990--cannot recall exactly. I am getting old remember.... And one guy in my class had 3 brothers--and I did kiss one of them.....when I was a freshman and Mike was a sophomore.

The above picture is me, Rich Berra and Shannon Fox Oliveri. Rich was sort of a geek in high school..but always nice and funny. Shannon was also a nice gal who played sports. The other picture - Keith, Becky, Nino, Jenny and Shannon. I love this pic - check out Nino's eyebrow?! In our slideshow DVD that Jamie and Suzy put together--Nino is in pictures with girls....all the girls! So cute and fun to be around. I met his wife briefly--she is beautiful!

I am not feeling too great today -- maybe Danny has passed along his cold. UGH! I still have lots to say about Saturdays night's reunion event....until we meet again friends.....

I leave you with this challenge...... refine your life.... unleash your Spirit!

Back Home from High School Reunion!

Whew---a whirlwind weekend, but oh so fun and memorable. I am about to feed Paul some dinner and hope to write a lot more about this weekend later tonight...if not, then tomorrow while Paul is in school. Can I just say how pretty St. Louis is....hills and lots of trees! And I do mean tons of trees--compared to San Antonio! I just about cried when I saw my old friend Kathy Casper. She and I had a special bond for a couple of years and I have not seen her in 20 years. She is still tall and pretty and teaches third grade in Columbia, Missouri--home to the Mizzou Tigers. My friends Jamie and Suzy who planned and orchestrated the reunion looked phenomenal! They are both so pretty and fun to be around. Although, I did not get to spend much time with either one, so I guess I need to go back to STL and hang with them..and their very cool husbands! Brian Belgeri was still handsome and has a very cute, sweet and outgoing wife--Myra. I really liked her a lot and told Danny--see, if we lived in STL, we could hang out with them from time to time. They have 2 small boys and I might add--very handsome little boys.

Paul needs me....but I will leave you with these tidbits -- no, I did not get drunk either night, and so there was no puking. I am sure Danny was happy about that! And Suzy Halley Guccione (one of my best friends in high school) asked me to say the blessing -- you know---15-20 minutes beforehand. Naturally I said yes, even though you know how shy I am.....right?! I thought about what I wanted to say and decided, "great--this is the perfect moment to thank Jamie and Suzy for all their efforts in planning and hosting our reunion..." after the prayer of course. And yes, it happened, dementia set in and after the prayer, I forgot to acknowledge them and I felt so bad. So, Jamie and Suzy-- we all appreciate you taking on the challenge of dealing with our 20 year reunion and all of us crazy classmates all over the country. It was a grand ol time and we thank you very much! I will help plan the 25 year reunion. Can we have it at a casino?! :-)

As we said in the 80's -- Ain't that a kick in the butt? Al Calavicci on Quantum Leap.
And Ay oh- oh ay...Tony Micelli on Who's the Boss?.

Missing Girls Night Out..Ho Hum

Tonight is GNO, but Danny is in Dallas for 2 days and so I stayed home getting things ready for our trip to St. Louis this weekend. Here's something interesting - my classmate, Dan, lives here in SA--works for AT&T. Well, he and his little family are on the same flight as us Friday morning. So, we will see one another bright and early in 2 days. I told him today on the phone, "dang, now I have to look cute!" We both said--we'll be the ones with the screaming kid! His daughter is one, but I have a feeling Paulie is a little louder than a sweet princess named Lauren. If you live in SA, stay away from Terminal 2 Friday morning! Two wild classmates and 2 toddlers will be present!

Had bible study this morning. Discussed Revelation Chapters 8, 9 and 10 (I think). A good small group discussion. I left early and missed the large group meeting. Ya know, had important things to do before my reunion.....manicure, pedicure, bank, etc. I did some packing today. You see, I am an accessory girl. And so it takes me a while to determine which accessories to bring. The right jewelry, shoes and purses. All the while trying to limit what I bring. I do pretty well most of the time. But I do have lots of cute jewelry! That and my makeup is ready. And the bare essentials, and I have already laid out most of Paul's clothes. The portable DVD player is charging for the plane ride; my IPOD is charging and my camera battery is charged and ready!

Oh, and I have to say this...my Alma Mater is the ONLY Big 12 school undefeated in football! University of Kansas...ROCK CHALK JAYHAWK baby! We are 6-0! We play Colorado this Saturday in Boulder. I might get to watch the first half before we have to leave for my reunion. I wonder if Suzy and Jamie will provide a TV for me to watch the game?! Probably not.....I know who I can call to find out the final score......geez, am I part male or what?!

Danny has a client who passed away yesterday. So sad. Please pray for her soul and for peace and strength for her family. Her name is Gaye and lived in Arlington. Danny met with her children this afternoon. Her daughter was going thru some pictures and came across the Christmas pic of Paul just as Danny was pulling up to the house. She said...he looks like you (to Danny) and he said, oh no..my wife. He showed her my pic and she said..."oh yes, he looks like Susan." :-) And we know he has my spirit and strong willed tendencies. Danny has a seminar in Dallas tomorrow from 9-2 and then he is on his way back...hopefully, to attend his CFP class. But he might not make it and just come home.

Bit of information for you as I sign off and head to bed......
Did you know our Founding Fathers chose the Eagle as our country's bird b/c it is the ONLY bird who can fly through a storm?! YUP!!!. I remembered this today as we were discussing something in bible study, but I didn't get the chance to share it with my group.

May His Light shine upon you each and every day! Take comfort in knowing that God is present in your life, available to meet every situation with you, that you are never left to face any problem alone.

What do Nordstrom, Baby Got Back and Krispy Kreme Have in Common?

Glad you asked...glad you asked! Tonight, I drove out to La Cantera Shops to return some spanx at Nordstrom. If you don't know, spanx are the item that holds it all in and helps smooth out your rolls of fat so you look better in your clothes. Yeah, well-I already had one pair and thought I needed another...NOT! So, on my way back home (on 1604) I started thinking about the day when I get to my goal weight and will buy myself a swank new outfit. I did not eat dinner and wasn't planning on it either..but dang, it was 8pm and I had a rumbly in my tumbly. WHAM..there it was---HOT NOW at Krispy Kreme. I am so bad that I know the back way off 1604. I was coming from the west remember..so I existed Stone Oak..went up to Sonterra then to Hardy Oak and as I was about 2 min from the parking lot...on 94.1FM came this...

"Oh, my, god. Becky, look at her butt. It is so big. *scoff* She looks like,one of those rap guys' girlfriends. But, y'know, who understands those rap guys? *scoff*They only talk to her, because, she looks like a total prostitute, 'kay?I mean, her butt, is just so big. *scoff*I can't believe it's just so round, it's like,out there, I mean - gross. Look! She's just so ... black! I like big butts and I can not lie..You other brothers can't deny, etc.

Well, I busted out laughing in the Krispy Kreme parking lot...going yup--that's me...big butt Susan...heading in to get some donuts! Do you see the irony here?! So, instead of 3, I only got 2! Then I came home and took Miss Oreo for a 20 min walk. I know it didn't burn off those donuts, but I made a little effort.

Paulie has school tomorrow and I am off to see Neely afterwards and then run some errands before I pick up my sweet boy. Counting down until we leave for St. Louis on Friday.

This morning I had MOPS (Mothers of Pre Schoolers). It was a fun time and I even did a craft! With the help of Yvonne, Jennifer, Rachel, Erica, etc. Sarah Jane talked about patience. HA!

I had heard a few years ago that you NEVER ask God to give you patience...b/c guess what He will do? -- Sure, he will provide with many trials and tribulations to learn patience. YUCK! Sarah Jane mentioned that this morning. So, it must really be true. Danny is studying right now and I am headed to bed. The plan - to be asleep by 10:30. Danny says---turn the TV off and close your eyes and it will happen. He's right..but don't tell him that!

Above are some items I have on my wish list..at Nordstrom. The hoop earring are by Anna Beck..handcrafted. They are so beautiful in person! This pic does not do them justice! And the Nadri Butterfly pendant...so lovely. Ho hum.....

Peace to all my sisters and brothers!

High School Classmate Jams with Enrique

Rich Berra, my high school classmate, is a DJ in Phoenix and Tuscon..morning show. He helped plan and organize this concert for Friday night and told Enrique Igelsias he would jam with him on stage. Check it out....Rich is playing the guitar!!! YouTube link below. Rock on dude!!! I get to see him next weekend in STL for our 20 year reunion. Anyone want his autograph??? The week of the concert Rich sent me this email in response to me stating that I cannot wait for our reunion: working hard to get there.
it's been a wee bit stressful.
i had to really crank on some stuff.
we're doing a concert this friday.
i told enrique iglaseas i'd jam with him on stage.
i didn't realize how hard the song was to learn.
yikes.
so now i'm cramming because the concert will have 20 thousand people there and I don't want to screw up..
i've played it about 500 times already..
getting closer.
i'm a bit freaked. i've played in bars and stuff before.. always nervous.. this is a whole new level of nerves.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n28L1KRnhls

What's Hot and Delicious?

Answer: The brand name of the dress I am wearing to my 20th year high school reunion next weekend in St. Louis! And with my edgy new hairdo, I know I will kick it and have lots of fun with my classmates and their spouses! Anyone remember the song - Everybody Have Fun Tonight?! Oh yeah.....

So, Girls Night Out Wed night was fun and a little different than usual. Tina reads a blog whose author is a chef in Georgia. He and his mother had traveled by car to the upper northwest portion of the country and were on their way back home to GA and decided to stop over in San Antonio. Another blog stalker planned a dinner at a Argentinian restaurant with some of the other SA blog stalkers to this man's blog/newsletter and Tina wanted to go! So, a few of us said, "sure"-- we'll go! Maile was supposed to go. In fact- here reply email was, "I’m stoked you’re letting us into your cooking cult…oh, I mean world." Courtney, Melissa and I joined Tina and the food was awesome and the entertainment and conversation was interesting and also fun. If you live in SA--you must visit Gagos Restaurant on I-10. Lovely ambiance and as I already mentioned..yummy for your tummy food! I wore my new jeans of course!

I must sign off now. We need to get the lad ready for bed and then I think Danny and I are going to watch a movie. If I can stay awake. I am a little under the weather today. Lots of chores to do this weekend and a little shopping for my big weekend in STL next weekend. Oh, and Oct. 9 marked the 9 year anniversary that Danny pinned me against his apartment door and first kissed me. We had been to Park Place (which no longer exists) to celebrate our friend Letty's birthday. If I recall correctly, 5 different dance floors with 5 different types of music. Lots of Frost Bankers were in attendance. In fact, Jill and Erica finished off the night dancing on the CAGES!! Not I...trust me! I know it sounds like something I would do..back then..but I was not drunk enough. When the night began, Danny and I were friends..once I saw him dance ..my mind shifted to..hmmm, maybe there is potential! :-) The rest is history.... And 40 weeks later..Erica had a baby. So maybe the cage dancing was a prelude to something fun at home!

Peace out dogs!

ASSORTMENT

It’s Not What We Know, But What We Do That Matters - How many times have you read a new book, been to a great seminar, or learned some wonderful new piece of information that inspired you, but, for a myriad of reasons (you got busy, you didn’t write it down, life got hard, etc.) you didn’t put it into action? This is something that happens a lot for many of us. We have the best intentions, but then life gets in the way, right? When it comes to creating real growth and lasting change in our lives – both personally and professionally – it’s not what we know, but what we do that matters. Learning new things is fun, exciting, and rewarding. However, until we figure out how to incorporate that new information into our daily lives, it does us very little good.

“ Insight without action makes no difference.”
- Unknown

Next---took Paul to pre school this morning, ran to the bank and then came back to "observe" Paul for about 20 minutes. I saw him, but he did not see me. Gotta love those mirrors! This was "free" time for he and his little friends. I quickly noticed that Paul wanted attention from his teachers. And to get it..he would do things like, throw things off the table onto the floor, take a toy from a friend, etc. Then he did get attention! Each time (before he did it) he looked to the teacher and if she wasn't paying attention to him...cause hello, she was helping another child or children with something at the table, he wanted her attention and WHAM.....he got it alright. He isn't able to verbally express his desire or needs. At one moment he was sitting quietly in the corner reading a couple of books. Trent was about 2 ft from him sitting at a little table reading a book. Ms. Charisse went over to see what Trent was doing and VOILA...I could see it in Paul's eyes and knew exactly what my little boy was about to do....HE wanted her attention too! So, instead of saying something like "look at me," or "me too," he went over to the table and yanked the book away from Trent and Ms. Charisse. And naturally he got reprimanded..kindly of course. Really nothing too atypical of most young kids. Doing something - even aggressive in nature-to obtain attention from their teacher.

Next - I went jean shopping while Paul was in school this morning. Was thrilled to find a pair that flattered my assets...ya know, curves and a back side! :-) If you live here in SA, visit Mary at The Gap (at the Quarry). She was most pleasant and helpful finding the perfect pair for me and my body! Thank you Mary for all your help and patience. You ROCK!

Next - I am not going to finish my bible study homework for tomorrow, b/c I am visiting Paul's new pediatrician at 9:30am! And therefore, will miss CSS. From what I know, this doctor will be able to help me and have good insight into how I can better parent Paul and what, if any, strategies I can share with his teachers to help him not be so dang frustrated when he cannot verbalize things. And Paul will also hopefully be getting some speech therapy!

Let God's light shine big in you today! Let your actions

mirror His actions. Ask God for help! AMEN

Hola, love you....

Paul's new saying is, "hola, love you!" So sweet! I melt every time he says it and he has been saying it a lot the past few days. We went to the Pumpkin Patch with my MOPS group this morning. Up past 3009....off Nacogdoches....a Methodist Church has the coolest pumpkin patch with hay rides, educational activities, hay you can play in, a sand box and of course lots of pumpkins! I invited some friends from church too. I hope they had a fun time. I borrowed my friend Jena's fancy digital camera and I think I got some great pics of Paul and some of our friends. Paul and I found a really nice subdivision off Bat Cave on our way back home. Custom homes and large lots. It was so peaceful in there, that I wanted to pull over and take a walk. But Paulie had to eat lunch and take his nap. I hear him talking a little in his room, but he will fall asleep eventually.

Big sports weekend for me! Kansas played K-State on Saturday and we won..30-24! KU is now 5-0! And we are ranked this week..#20!!! Danny's team..not so good again this weekend. The Red River game in Dallas. OU beat UT and Danny was not a happy camper. I felt bad for him, but I was on cloud nine since my alma mater won a huge game!

Sunday brought 2 ministries for me as a way to serve God. I am a Stephen Minister and twice a month we go to The Laurels and the Haven in Stone Oak to offer/serve communion to the elderly folks. In the assisted living unit we actually conduct a mini service with readings, prayer, reflection and intentions. They appreciate us coming and we appreciate them! Then it was off to help with our Life Teen group at 6:30. The activity for the evening was pretty neat and I enjoyed being with the young people of our parish. I returned home around 9 and was a little tired from the day. In between, we took Paul to a playground and I did some chores. My work is never done. This is why I so look forward to Paul going to school so I can work on my CSS homework, get my house cleaned and organized and do my dr appts and ministry work.

I have to work on my CSS homework for Wednesday morning. I am a little behind and it is way too much if you wait and try to accomplish all of it the night before. I also have to make a phone call to a fellow MOPS Mommy who is going to be able to support me as we move forward with Paul and trying to determine what he needs and what his teachers can do for him to make school even better for everyone. He has his formal evaluation tomorrow here at our house, but they really need to visit St. Mark's, b/c he acts different there versus here at home or any other place to attends. I am a little exhausted with the whole situation right now, but am trying to be hopeful that the folks from Brighton can offer his teachers some better insight and strategies. Two weeks ago, the Brighton Coordinator called me after she had talked with the Director of the Pre School and said..."sounds like to me he has normal 2 year old things and they are picking on him, being tense and frustrated about it and therefore making it all worse. Who knows..I will allow the professionals to make the assessment and then we can move forward. Please keep Paul, his parents and teachers in your prayers. Give us all the patience, courage and wisdom to do what is needed to help Paul and allow him to grow and develop.

Did I fail to mention that Paul is a strong willed little boy?! All the books and articles I have read state quite clearly...."strong willed children really test the limits with parents and teachers and we need to remain positive, calm and consistent!" Personally, Danny and I feel this is what he is doing at school and for whatever reason, continues to test his teachers. He certainly is not being mean or malicious. And I would like to add that all involved should read and reflect on this scripture verse...Galatians 6:9 - Do not grow weary of doing good, for in due season you will reap a harvest if you do not give up.

Rock of Love

Yes, I watched most of the season finale of ROCK OF LOVE. Poison lead singer Bret Michaels chose his new girlfriend..Jes...a 23 year old from Chicago. Many probably don't know he is the father of two little girls and I wonder...what will they think of their rock star Dad when they see this silly show?! Even worse..I watched some of it.. And Bret is old enough to be Jes' father. Oh come on....some of you watched the show too!

Anyone watching this new season of Dancing with the Stars? I have only seen it last night and watched 2 dances and was not impressed.

Paul had a half day at pre school. NEISD is having teacher conferences and so the staff at St. Mark's needed to be rid of the young ones so they could attend their own kid's conferences. I don't recall any of my bosses or former employers ever giving a hoot about that?! And here is another thought on the fact that NEISD has conferences during the day. What happens to the parents who both work and cannot leave early to visit their child's teachers? When I taught at Bishop Carroll in Wichita, KS, we had our parent-teacher conferences from like 4-9. School got out around noon so the teachers could eat lunch and regroup for the parents arriving later that day. Come on NEISD....do a better job please on this one! Hmmm..I am rather cranky. Must be time for food and then bed!

Paul had a good day! He is so fun to be around. He says more and more words each day. He truly loves to sing and dance and be silly. Does anyone know where he acquired those traits?! I am rather dumbfounded really..... He picked out the books he wanted to read tonight. A book about Dora and the raft race; Wags and his friend Ben; a book on God's bright colors and Curious George goes into space!

Remember I wrote once about Stacey London and What Not to Wear and her new show--Fashion Fanatic?! Here she goes again... Stacy London, TLC’s style guru is hosting her own show! It’s going to be sassy, stylish, inspirational and a little bit naughty, just like its host. Stacy brings her years of fashion experience to a weekly girls’ night-out that is full of fashion, style tips, relationship advice and gossip! Premieres Friday November 23, 2007 at 10/9c on TLC. Go sister!!! I love her!!

One last tidbit before the puter gets shut off for the night....my friend Gloria Garza (I call her GG) shared with me this website and I have been using it for over a year. With Christmas coming in a couple of months, you might wish to try it! It helps you pick the perfect gift(s). You can customize all about the person you are shopping for....examples: senior woman who is an achiever and loves to cook: adult male who is an adventurer and loves to read and play sports.... check it out and play around. Once you start searching, the site leads you to all kinds of neato gifts that you probably would not have thought of on your own! Good luck!
www.gifts.com

From Exodus 15:2 "The Lord is my strength and my song..." Amen.

Living to Give.....and other tidbits

Wow--can you believe it is October 1?! September flew by and seems like October, November and December sail too quickly as well. Take some time and enjoy this time of year.

Devotion for Mothers - from Luke 6:38 "Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over."
One of the main ways you can guarantee joy in your life is by living to give. God promises to multiply back to you everything that you give. When you step out in faith, you open a door for God to move on your behalf. It's the simple principle of sowing and reaping. As mothers, we are super sowers. Get ready for a super huge harvest! Amen.

This weekend was super busy with church stuff and running around and getting chores completed. Whew--it's now over and we can concentrate on the week. Wednesday is my friend Gloria's birthday and also Paul's Godfather's birthday--Mike. We hope they have a super fun and enjoyable day!

My Mom and Wayne moved into their new home in Northern Michigan. They are busy beavers unpacking and getting things organized. If you want someone who is super fast and super organized to assist you in unpacking and putting together a home--call my Mom! I will give out her phone number for a nominal fee. :-)

I am off to work on my CSS homework for Wednesday morning. Ya'll have a glorious and prosperous day!

SuSu